Harare arrests vendors in CBD crackdown

Authorities arrested all vendors operating illegally in Harare's central business district on Wednesday as the government enforced the September 9 deadline to vacate undesignated trading spots. Police set up 24-hour patrols under Operation Chenesa Harare to reclaim public spaces and improve traffic flow. The crackdown follows weeks of warnings from Local Government minister Daniel Garwe, who declared illegal vending no longer acceptable. Many vendors had defied earlier eviction orders, saying designated markets are too far and lack customers. The operation targets pushcarts and street traders across the CBD, with authorities insisting designated vending bays outside the city center are the only legal trading zones.